Two boxes (1 linear foot) of papers from LaVon Laursen, spanning the period of 1972 to 2000. Items include newspaper and magazine clippings about LaVon's political activity, campaign materials (such as pamphlets, stickers, buttons, and memorabilia), cards and letters to LaVon from personal and political friends, information about her career in nursing, an autobiographical sketch, an oral history interview with LaVon, and a video recording of a political convention she attended.
LaVon Maxine (Bonnie) Wilson Laursen was born in her maternal grandparent's home in American Fork, Utah, on December 17, 1929 to David John Wilson and Bernice Conder Wilson. She is the eldest of seven children. During her childhood, her family lived in several different homes in Utah, mainy in Provo and American Fork, but also in Midway, and in Los Angeles, California. Her family's final move was back to American Fork in 1947. Here LaVon met her future husband, Thomas Fred Laursen, whom she married on December 5, 1947, just before her eighteenth birthday. Tom had been in the Navy during World War II, and not long after their marriage, he was reactivated for the Korean War. LaVon spent much of her early married life living in different homes in American Fork and in military housing in California while Tom was away. After his discharge, they returned to American Fork and began looking for a permanent home. There they purchased four acres and began work on a house. In 1958, they moved in with their five children and later had a sixth and final child there in 1960.
LaVon was fairly active in her community, working in local shops and eventually at the Utah State Training School. In the early 1970s, she went back to school at the Utah Technical College and worked toward a degree in Nursing. After receiving her certification, she continued her employment with the Training School as a nurse. There, LaVon's co-workers encouraged her to become involved in their local union as President of the school's chapter AFLCIO. Her work in the Union placed her in a unique position to become acquainted with many state politicians. This escalated her involvement in politics, particularly with the Utah Democratic Party, and she left her work as a nurse in 1984 to pursue a career in politics. She was soon elected as the President of the Utah County Democratic Party and assisted in many campaigns, including those of Bill Orton, Jan Graham, Wayne Owens, Scott Matheson, and many others. LaVon attempted her own run for office in 1984, running for state senator on the Democratic ticket. She lost the election, but continued to help others run for office and remained very active in Democratic politics.
In the 1990s, LaVon's political involvement took a different turn when she was appointed as the volunteer supervisor for American Fork City's Youth Court. She passed away in 2020.
The materials in this collection are divided into two series: Personal papers, and Professional papers.
No restrictions on access, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
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Permission to publish material from the LaVon Laursen papers must be obtained from the
The materials in this collection were donated to USU Special Collections in 2015 by LaVon Laursen.
Graduate thesis of Amber Laursen (granddaughter of LaVon)
Contains autobiography, photographs, personal letters and notes, certificates and awards.
Contains newspaper articles by and about LaVon, cards and correspondence, campaign flyers and pamphlets, campaign buttons, and VHS recording of a political convention.